CHINESE FIREWORKS COMPANY LTD · 2018. 11. 26. · CHINESE FIREWORKS COMPANY LTD ONE OF THE LARGEST...

CHINESE FIREWORKS COMPANY LTD ONE OF THE LARGEST SURPLIERS OF FIREWORKS IN THE UK

PROFFESSIONAL DISPLAY OPERATORS

Chinese Fireworks Company Limited Pagoda Bank, 2 London Road, Sheffield S2 4LN

Tel: 0114 2762626 Fax: 0114 2762625 Mobile: 07973 129529 Email: [email protected] http://www.chinesefireworks.co.uk

Registered in United Kingdom No 3231936

Chinese Firework Co LTD. Pagoda Bank 2 London Road Sheffield S2 4LN

September 13, 1996

Department of Trade and Industry Mrs. Christine Hennessy Consumer Safety Unit Room 4H3 1 Victoria Street London SW1H OET.

Dear Mrs. Hennessy

I have been retailing fireworks for the past seventeen years and in the process have built a remarkable reputation for myself in terms of quality, variety and safety. Every year schools, various societies and associations come from far a field to buy fireworks from myself.

I have also established a trusting and close working relationship with the directors of all the companies that manufacture and import fireworks. Additionally, due the success of this business I have moved to larger premises, a former bank and am open from 1st Oct through to 5th Nov and five days for Christmas and New Year. During the course of the year I am open by an appointment system. ISSUE 3 All the fireworks that are cat 3 should remain so for general public use. However, the items in question ie. ariel shells (all sizes), maroons and mines should still remain in use for the general public (organized displays). However these should be obtained from specialized retailers who are able to advise on the product range and are experienced enough to advise on the safe use and storage of fireworks. ISSUE 4 I. Erratic flight ie mini rockets. We sell these in vast quantities. The sales and profits which I would loose would be a substantial amount. These I would describe as “whistle and bang and chase you around the garden”. Yes they do have an erratic flight and I am surprised that they have been bought back on the market after the lack of practice decision. ii. Every adult who look back on their childhood associate fireworks with bangs. Without bangs the fun of fireworks would be incomplete. They are not used as a nuisance factor compared with air bombs. In my opinion they should not be prohibited. iii. The larger than average nuisance factor should only be sold to organized displays having responsible retailers or specialized retailers. ISSUE 5 Professionals have no need to use mini rockets etc in their displays. They are more inclined to use powerful and entertaining fireworks rather than those in question. ISSUE 6 I. With the contrast between after social activities it is difficult to increase the






year olds purchasing fireworks, all retailers MUST ask for age identification. Failure to do so could lead to their license being taken. iii. Yes there is evidence that persons under sixteen are asking adults to purchase fireworks for them and in these cases severe prosecution should be enforced. ISSUE 7 There are not enough trading standard officers to deal with this problem. The police should have the enforcement power to prosecute the children and there parents. The parents should be prosecuted as well as this would make them more responsible for their children and therefore teach their children the dangers of fireworks when not used properly. ISSUE 9 Cat 4 fireworks should be only supplied to persons who hold Mode” A” storage. If they are professionals than they need to obtain fireworks regularly and should have safe storage. If they do not have Mode “A” storage than they not require fireworks on large or regular basis and therefore do not have sufficient experience. ii. Professionals using Cat 4 fireworks should go on training courses which could be arranged by the four recognized manufacturers or importers in various parts of the country. A certificate should be given on successful completion of the course. ISSUE 10 All organized displays for social clubs or associations should seek advice on site and fall out areas. However a minimal charge should be made to the local fine authority that then could employ a person to advice on safety. ISSUE 11. Why not ban all fireworks? The sale of fireworks would fall by 70% ISSUE 12 A strict registration system for retailers should be established. Many smaller retailers have no product knowledge on any items they are selling, and these sold to the w rong person could be potentially dangerous. ISSUE 13 Specialist retailers selling solely fireworks and have Mode” A” storage facilities should sell fireworks all year round for special occasions. However, they should be penalized if found to be selling nuisance fireworks to children outside the firework season. Sincerely,

S Popat






January 23, 1997

Department Of Trade and Industry Mrs. Christine Hennessy Consumer Safety Unit Room 4H3 1 Victoria Street London Sw1h OET

Dear Christine,

Thank you for the invitation for the Firework Forum in Birmingham, It was pleasant to see and meet the Firework manufacturers and every one involved in the safety of fireworks. As a retailer my concern is for the safety of fireworks and also the future of Aerial shells.

At Christmas I had about thirty/ forty disappointed customers who wished to buy the aerial shells of which they have had many years of experience using them.

During the firework season I have had many local Schools, Public houses. sports clubs, and different Associations purchasing Fireworks between the amount of two hundred and six hundred pounds. On a national basis I would imagine there would be thousands of similar organizations having a bonfire display. In my opinion a display of that value is incomplete without aerial shells. If a training course is the only compulsory measure for associations to be able to use the shells, then I would assume that very few people would attend a course, as the distance they may have to travel to attend and the cost for once a year would not be viable. This would create an opportunity for black market sales for people who have used the shells competently for many years.

If substitutes are made they could only be rockets which would not only be laborious to watch but potentially more dangerous for spectators. Manufactures would import larger rockets [ with shells within them ] with larger sticks, all of the display would consist of would be mainly rockets, in a lot of displays rockets are not used as the sticks do come down with considerable force and wind directions can not always be correctly judged, therefore the rocket sticks can fall onto the spectators not to mention the outcome.

I do strongly believe that shells should not be available as a straight purchase over the counter. During the firework season, before the incidents with the mortars.

Happened, I had a sixteen year old wanting to purchase a mortar and shell, I and my staff refused him, he then said that he would purchase them down the road. I contacted Mike Hanson from Barnsley Trading Standards who is heading the safety campaign for firework safety, I expressed my concern that a powerful weapon of this nature should not be in the hands of a sixteen year olds.

My conclusion and recommendation is that first of all the majority of all displays are self fired and that some form of advice is essential. Could it be possible that the training could be learned in the form of a video? On request of using shells, a fee should be charged for a training/ safety video with questions to be answered to make sure that they have understood and answered all the questions competently and make them aware that the responsibility is theirs. The questions should be correctly answered and possible additional insurance. All this could be checked and approved, then a certificate issued from the local fire department to buy and obtain the shells from only selected, specialized retailers who have product knowledge and can give additional safety advise, not one off annual seasonal shops or the smaller newsagents/ grocers.

This would not only give the experienced organizers use of the shells, but also any new inexperienced organizers would seriously consider using them.






I would appreciate if you could consider a solution which would not destroy the semi professional display market, and of which it could be made a safe one that would be enjoyable, but viable.

Thanking you.

Yours sincerely

S Popat






June 23, 1997

Christine Hennessy Consumer Safety Unit Department of Trade and Industry Room 4H3 1 Victoria Street London SW1H OET

Dear Ms Hennessy

Thank you for the draft consultation and the efficiency of it. As mentioned in my in my previous letters dated 13 September 1996 and 23 January 1997. I am a large retailer of fireworks in Sheffield and the proper use of fireworks is of utmost importance and primarily our main concern.

The forwarded proposal of limiting the large fireworks to 5 kg and the total ban of aerial shells would have a devastating result if responsible associations such as the PTA and round tables (who have years of experience of using them) were not allowed to use them.

Not only would a display of rockets (as that would predominately be the only aerial firework) be laborious to watch, but it would also be potentially dangerous as wind directions can not always be correctly judged and therefore the sticks could possibly fall on the crowds, not to mention any other outcome.

I supply fireworks to a large shopping mall in Sheffield annually. They attract several thousand people a year to their bonfire display. Many of these people probably do not have a display of their own and feel it would be safer to attend an organized display. The shopping mall spends approximately £1500. They employ two experienced pyrotechnicians who used to fire the Sheffield recreation displays. With the ban of shells in force and the proposed larger firework ban, they would not be liable to fire anything that would create an acceptable display, except rockets, which would ultimately be a very poor display. This would also leave an opportunity for black market sales. I would like to see the age that a person can purchase fireworks increased to possibly seventeen years of age and not eighteen, as this would cause great controversy because there are more hazardous sports and other social activities which are available to people under eighteen years old. To have a ban on bangers takes the nuisance factor of fireworks partly away, but where does one draw the line, air bombs next? I do agree about the ban on mini rockets as I have always experienced a large sale of these and their improper use of them. My main concern is the proposed ban of Chinese CRACKERS. I have sold crackers for over 16 years and have had no reported incidents with them as the fall out distance is very short, compared with other fireworks. I was concerned a few years ago and raised attention to Sheffield Trading Standards of the recent easy availability of smaller mini crackers w hich were available to the Asda and smaller retail shops. They are an affordable price for youngsters. Previously we had only sold them in our display kits to organized displays. This year all manufacturers have agreed not to import any more crackers. last year I was caught up in deal to supply to the wholesale trade crackers of which went wrong and I currently hold £12,000 at cost in crackers. I would like to request a years grace to let these stocks filter through before a ban is initiated as I have no means of returning the stock back to the importer. However If this not possible I would appreciate a compensation. I am pleased that all the enforcing authorities are keener to see a safe but enjoyable and more legislated firework code. An immediate reply would be greatly appreciated as quick action is necessary regarding the crackers.






Yours Sincerely Mr S Popat






Chief Fire Officer SYFR Trading Standards Parliament DTI 30th November 2000 Request for a approved Firework retail and wholesale code. To Who it may concern, I would firstly like to introduce my self as the Director of the Chinese Fireworks Company Limited. I have been retailing in Fireworks for over 20 years. The Chinese Fireworks Company has built a reputation, of selling Quality Fireworks locally and nationally, and have advised many organizations on health and safety issues related to the general use of fireworks. I would not hesitate to say that the Company would be one of the largest single retailers of fireworks in the country. Another aspect of safety is the miss use of fireworks in a public place, stringent penalties should be applied to any miss use. With my vast experience in selling fireworks to the general public I would like to protect Public Safety , the Firework industry and also it is paramount that the members of public are able to purchase fireworks from reputable retailers, who can advise on all safety issues. Over the recent years, an increasing figure in Sheffield, and the rest of the country, showed fireworks have been purchased and sold, by people without a license out of vans and cars. This year outside my premises a van was parked selling fireworks. Each week leading up to the 5th of November I receive daily calls from the public about specific fireworks bought from touts.






What I would like to see is a stringent licensing law being passed. 1: A Firework license holder has to be assessed if they are fit, proper and responsible person with Knowledge, to hold an explosive license. i.e. as a liquor licensee 2: The license can be revoked at any time for breach of misconduct. 3: Certain Security measures in place at the premises to prevent burglary then sold illegally. 4: The main issue is Wholesalers and importers should not sell any quantity of fireworks to retailers, or hawkers for resale without them obtaining a license. If caught they themselves could loose their import license. With any purchase for resale, a name ,address and license number should be recorded.

CHINESE FIREWORKS COMPANY LTD · 2018. 11. 26. · CHINESE FIREWORKS COMPANY LTD ONE OF THE LARGEST...

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